Make your own seat Bobber style.....

a2zcustomupholstery, didn't mean to hijack your thread talkin' to Hasersys. Your seat is lookin' REALLY NICE!!!

skillet

 

No worries skillet, but I think you have alot of leather secrets that your not sharing. LOL those terms are used by pros. I'm also glad that our members are doing more custom leather stuff on here. Keep up the good work, we all can learn something....PS I plan to leather the fenders next, never seen it done, But I think I would look cool....

 

I check Leatherworkers.com out now and then but have yet to get a membership.

Also, Do you have a photo of the bottom of the seat? I like the two different colors, and that pattern.

 

Would like to see the bottom myself...

skillet

 

well got the teeth done yesterday. I also removed the front fender to start stretching the leather.

 

Colors look GREAT! NICE work on the back also!!!

skillet

 

now comes part 2. I also added leather to the fender and plan to lace it like the seat....

 

Are you having to "wet-form" the leather around the fender?

skillet
BTW that's a lot of goshdarned holes (LOL)...

 

Yep Skillet, I had to form it around the fender. Took about an hour. Then glued it the next day. Here is the finished product. The only paint on the bike will be the gas tank whenb I'm done. thanks for looking......

 

Hey man I like your approach to your XJ. I have been thinking along the same lines but as of yet didn't have the guts to do it but my thinking was to do the tank in paint and the fenders and side panels in the leather. How did you get your leather to have those dimples in it? Sure looks like you do fine work. I have a couple of tanned deer hides to work with but I'm beginning to think I should fine a stronger leather? Many posibilities when it comes to an XJ for sure. Keep up to GREAT WORK! grunt007, 81' &%) XJ SecaR, Mi.

 

Well Grunt, You got to start with Veg-tanned leather 3-4 ounce then Tool it with a pear shape stamp and beat the hell out of it. Cool thing is, that it is truely a one of a kind project. Wait til this thing is done. I left the best for last.

 

What is the "best" adhesive for gluing the leather down???

skillet
BTW did a nice job lacing and making the tooling look random...

 

@skillet, I used wedge wood glue. I think you can buy at Homedepot. I buy it from my upholstery supplier by the 5 gal. Spray both sides and let sit about 10 minutes and slap those suckers together. yep, the tooling was very time consuming. Thanks for looking...

 

I was thinking the same thing. The tooling must have taken a long long time. Still waiting to get some dyes and stuff to finish my seat up. I am on hold right now. Waiting for Piper to call me back. lol

 

Mine is in no way as professional as yours but I just thought I would show you the one that I did for my bobber based off of your thread and instruction. I started with a flat piece of 12 guage steel and cut out a pattern and used a three pound hammer to round the metal into a whale tail and then just followed the instructions on how you explained. I just have to figure out how to make the leather less pliable and water proof.

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dirticops, ya' done GOOD!!!

skillet

 

Skillets right, dude good job. If you lace the opposite direction, you'll have a base ball stitch pattern. It would look like a cross pattern. Way to go dirticops!!!!!

 

I dont think I left enough room in my holes but I am gonna make one for my buddy now and I will stitch his that way. I will say it is addicting, I was wondering how I could waterproof the leather? I should have bought thicker leather, this is soft deer skin, it looks good but man is it soft.

 

@ dirticops the only thing I could suggest is to use mink oil to seal and saddle soap to clean it. On your next seat, start off with veg-tanned leather. Your right, doing this leather work is alot of fun and not hard. Also, there are Tandy Leather stores all across the U.S. that give classes on how to tool leather for FREE. Just an FYI. Thanks!!!!

 

heres the front. Time to move on to the back. My shop will be closed this weekend. Reserve duty stuff. here is what I had in mind. Now comes the leather and lacing.